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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. staff — a stick
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. staff — employees
  10. spell — a short time
  11. tube — a container
  12. mine — for digging
  13. spell — magic
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. current — of water
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. spell — letters
  18. current — happening now
  19. staff — employees
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. tube — the underground
  22. current — electric
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. leaves — lets stay

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com